By bus

Ugo Kotsu operates one overnight bus per day between Tokyo (Hamamatsucho) and Tazawako Station. The one way journey takes about 10.5 hours and costs 9,640 yen one way or 17,290 round trip. Passengers can also board or disembark the bus at Yokohama or Kakunodate.

The discount bus operator Willer Express operates an overnight bus between Tokyo and Morioka. Discount one way fares start around 5000 yen. And if used effectively, the Japan Bus Pass can reduce the cost for the bus trip to around 3000 yen. Online reservations can be made through Willer.

By direct bus (selected days outside of winter)

The "Hachiro Taro" bus connects Lake Towadako with the summit of Mount Hachimantai. However, the bus requires advance reservations at least one day in advance and operates only on selected days between late April and mid October. Namely, it operates only on weekends and national holidays, except for a few days in August, September and October when it runs daily. The one way fare from Towadako is 2100 yen to Asupite Line Iriguchi and 2500 yen to the summit of Hachimantai.

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How to travel between Hachimantai and Hirosaki

By train and bus via Kazuno-Hanawa Station

Take the JR Ou Line from Hirosaki to Odate (40 minutes, one train every 1-2 hours) and transfer to the JR Hanawa Line to Kazuno-Hanawa Station (50 minutes, one train every 1-3 hours). The entire one way trip costs 1490 yen, takes around two hours with a good transfer at Odate and is fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass, JR East Tohoku Area Pass and JR East South Hokkaido Pass.

From Kazuno-Hanawa Station there are two buses per day to Tamagawa Onsen (70 minutes, 1250 yen). The buses do not run in winter from late October to mid April. Infrequent bus connections between Kazuno-Hanawa Station and Mount Hachimantai are available only on weekends and during holidays outside of winter and require a transfer at the Asupite Iriguchi bus stop along the way.

How to travel between Hachimantai and Aomori

By train and bus via Kazuno-Hanawa Station

Take the JR Ou Line from Aomori via Hirosaki to Odate (2 hours, one train every 1-2 hours) and transfer to the JR Hanawa Line to Kazuno-Hanawa Station (50 minutes, one train every 1-3 hours). The entire one way trip costs 2270 yen, takes around three hours with good transfers at Hirosaki and Odate and is fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass, JR East Tohoku Area Pass and JR East South Hokkaido Pass.

From Kazuno-Hanawa Station there are two buses per day to Tamagawa Onsen (70 minutes, 1250 yen). The buses do not run in winter from late October to mid April. Infrequent bus connections between Kazuno-Hanawa Station and Mount Hachimantai are available only on weekends and during holidays outside of winter and require a transfer at the Asupite Iriguchi bus stop along the way.

By bus

Ugo Kotsu operates one overnight bus per day between Tokyo (Hamamatsucho) and Tazawako Station. The one way journey takes about 10.5 hours and costs 9,640 yen one way or 17,290 round trip. Passengers can also board or disembark the bus at Yokohama or Kakunodate.

The discount bus operator Willer Express operates an overnight bus between Tokyo and Morioka. Discount one way fares start around 5000 yen. And if used effectively, the Japan Bus Pass can reduce the cost for the bus trip to around 3000 yen. Online reservations can be made through Willer.

Above fees and schedules are subject to change. For the current yen exchange rate, click here.

Orientation

Tazawako Station on the Akita Shinkansen in the south, Morioka Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen in the east and Kazuno-Hanawa Station on the JR Hanawa Line in the north are the main entry points into the Hachimantai area. A bus network, operated by Ugo Kotsu, Shuhoku Bus and Iwate Kenpoku, connects these three stations with the various sights in the area.

Because bus service is infrequent on some of the routes, a rental car is the most convenient way to travel around Hachimantai. Rental car outlets can be found at Morioka and Tazawako Stations and many other major railway stations, cities and airports in the northern Tohoku Region.

Note that traveling in the area during winter differs greatly from traveling during the rest of the year. From late November to mid April some of the roads in the mountainous interior are closed to traffic, making some sites impossible to access or only accessible from a certain direction (see map above).